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After starring in the fantasy franchise Harry Potter and making a departure with the horror/thriller The Woman in Black, Daniel Radcliffe is now set to blend genres in the supernatural fantasy/thriller, Horns. An adaptation of the best-selling novel by Joe Hill, Horns centers on Ig Perrish (Radcliffe), the main suspect in the rape and murder of his girlfriend. He wakes one morning to find horns growing from his head, appendages that have the ability to force confessions from strangers, which aids him in his quest to find the real killer and exact his revenge. The premise sounds awesome and this could be a great turn for Radcliffe, who will get to once again seek vengeance for the death of a loved one. Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes) is set to direct. Hit the jump for more details.
Check out the full press release for Horns below:
Los Angeles, CA – July 13, 2012 – Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter" franchise, "The Woman in Black") has signed on to star in the supernatural fantasy/thriller "Horns," which will be co-produced and financed by Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland's Los Angeles based film production, finance and international sales company Red Granite Pictures. Red Granite will co-produce the film with Mandalay Pictures.
Based on the best-selling novel by Joe Hill, "Horns" is being directed by Alexandre Aja ("The Hills Have Eyes," "Piranha 3D," "High Tension") from an adapted screenplay by Keith Bunin ("In Treatment"). Producers are Riza Aziz, Joey McFarland, Mandalay Pictures President Cathy Schulman and Adam Stone. Joe Hill and Red Granite's Joe Gatta are executive producers.
"Horns," a supernatural thriller driven by fantasy, mystery and romance, follows Ig Perrish (Radcliffe), the number one suspect for the violent rape and murder of his girlfriend. Hungover from a night of hard drinking, Ig awakens one morning to find horns starting to grow from his own head and soon realizes their power drives people to confess their sins and give in to their most selfish and unspeakable impulses – an effective tool in his quest to discover the true circumstances of his late girlfriend's tragedy and for exacting revenge on her killer.
This rock and roll infused dark fantasy explores why bad things happen to good people, and what the loss of true love can do to a man. The widely acclaimed book was on the New York Times best seller list for six weeks, and has become an international bestseller as well.
Additional casting is underway as principal photography is slated to begin this fall. Red Granite Pictures' international sales arm (Red Granite International) will handle foreign sales for the film.
Director Alex Aja sees "Horns" as a character driven metaphysical and emotional fable with the structural bones of a mystery/revenge thriller. He says, "After reading Joe Hill's cult book, I couldn't resist temptation to dive into the devilish underworld and reinvent a universal myth. 'Horns' is a wild ride of sin and crime, with a love story in its heart."
"'Horns' is a wildly unique thriller that's ripe for the big screen," said Red Granite principals Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland. "Daniel is an amazing talent who will deliver a gripping performance with Alex at the helm. "We're happy to be working with Mandalay and Joe Hill to bring this project to life
Said Schulman, "We're thrilled to be in business with Riza, Joey and the Red Granite team. They are partners willing to put their strength behind provocative and fresh projects. Alex Aja is the perfect director to bring this chilling story to life."


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Note: This is the 2016–2017 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
A joint initiative of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Science, the School offers a BSc (AgEnvSc) Major in Environment, BSc Major in Environment, a BA & Sc Inter-Faculty program in Environment, a BA Faculty Program in Environment (Honours are available in all four of these programs), a Minor in Environment and a Diploma in Environment. Many of the MSE programs allow students to choose to study exclusively on the Macdonald or downtown campuses, or to take advantage of both.
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Previous generations of Americans had reason to fear poliomyelitis, most often called polio. The disease, which is spread by a virus, can leave people paralyzed. The disease is now rare in the U.S. because of a vaccine against the virus.
The only countries where polio continues as an ongoing problem are India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Some people do get it while traveling to a region where the disease still occurs.
Facts about disease
The disease is spread through the feces or mucus of people infected with the virus. In about one in 200 cases, people who have polio become paralyzed. The paralysis usually affects the legs, and it is permanent. Polio usually affects children under age 5. The disease is more common in the summer and the fall.
Types of disease
Polio can take several different forms:
Inapparent polio. Most cases are this type. When people have this form, they don't have symptoms. But they can still pass the virus on to other people.
Cases with mild symptoms. People with this form may have a mild illness with symptoms similar to those from the flu. But the illness doesn't appear to affect the brain. People with this form usually recover within a week.
Paralytic polio. This type includes weakness that develops quickly and turns into paralysis.
Polio can cause a variety of symptoms. Depending on the severity of the case, these can include:
Neck stiffness
Pain in the arms and legs
Difficulty breathing, swallowing, or speaking
A doctor may diagnose polio by checking your stool or throat for poliovirus. The doctor may also want to do a spinal tap to get a sample of your spinal fluid to examine.
Polio cannot be cured. Doctors focus on treating symptoms. They may also provide medicine, including pain medicine, and suggest bed rest. People with polio who can't breathe on their own will need a machine to help them breathe.
Being vaccinated against polio offers protection from the disease. Children should receive a series of vaccines starting in infancy. Infants, children, and adults traveling to countries where polio is still active, and staying for more than 4 weeks, should get age-appropriate polio vaccines or a polio booster within 12 months before travel.
People with certain immune problems can catch the disease from a child who has recently been vaccinated with oral polio vaccine. This type of vaccine is no longer used in the U.S.
Managing polio
Many people who have had polio develop a condition called post-polio syndrome decades later. Symptoms can include new muscle weakness and fatigue. Some people may have muscle shrinkage. Most people who didn't have severe symptoms from polio don't have severe symptoms from this problem. If you have this condition, exercise and stretching may help you feel better.


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Doctor who is passionate about acupuncture The blog is for information purpose only
Welcome to my blog
My profile
Acupuncture practice contact for appointments and addresses
Kensington: book online or call at 02030110355 or email at email@example.com
Address: Anamaya 1 Adam and Eve Mews, Kensington, London W8 6UG
2 min walk from High Street Kensington underground station
Chelsea: book online or call 02033623366
Address: Triyoga Chelsea 372 King's road, SW3 5UZ
20 min walk from Sloan Square tube station
My background: I became a qualified medical doctor in Western medicine in China and was well trained in Western medicine together with Chinese medicine in the best Medical University in Beijing, China. Particularly I was trained with Ji-sheng Han famous professor and neuroscientist in China and with Dr Zheren Xuan--famous orthopedics expert and founder of soft tissue surgery in China. Furthermore I had training in dermatology and oral and maxilofacial surgery in China. Also I had training in fertility and had research experiences in uterine smooth muscles and blood vessels in China and the UK. I am dedicated to treat patients with acupuncture and am recognised as one of the world leading acupuncture specialists.
I obtained a PhD degree in the University of Leeds in the UK.
I had post doctoral training and worked as a senior researcher in St George's hospital, London, UK.
I practiced acupuncture at Harley street after finished post doctoral training.
I had frequently presented my research findings in the top international conferences in the field.
I have many publications including ebooks and articles.
I have many year clinical experiences. Over the years of practicing in London, I have developed unique effective treatment approaches for cosmetic acupuncture, acne, pain relief including vulvodynia, bladder pain, pelvic pain, chronic prostatitis, neck pain, headache, migraine, shoulder pain, back pain, stress relief, anxiety, fatigue, fertility, hot flushes, nerve pain, insomnia to achieve best treatment results.
My devotion and skills are highly praised by my patients.
My eBooks
Fertility and acupuncture10 Reasons why you should try acupuncture for
Guest blog articles and Reviews
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
What are muscle knots?
Acupuncture improves clinical pregnancy rate and ovarian reserve
Infertility caused by various factors is defined as a couple's inability to conceive after one year of regular and unprotected sex. Approxim...
Can acupuncture help patients with stroke? Stroke is a serious condition which blood supply to the brain is cut off. It is the second most...
Hemiplegia which is severer than hemiparesis is paralysis of one half of the body on the same side. Brain damage is one of the causes. The p...
Thigh is the area between the hip and the knee. There is only single bone in the thigh called fumar, but there are a few groups of muscles i...


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- Details
Shape is critical to the ultimate success or failure of a piece of furniture. Knowing this, custom-furniture maker Lonnie Bird has taken the complex subject of shaping wood and made it accessible to every woodworker.
In Shaping Wood, Bird shows you how to dress up your furniture, personalize your work and create period details. Learn to turn, carve, bend, cut and shape with hand tools or machines. All the techniques are in this accessible guide -- from cutting a simple circle to carving a ball-and-claw foot. He leads you through visualizing, drawing a shape and then choosing the appropriate tool for creating it.
- Graphic, step-by-step presentation of key techniques and methods
- Visual maps, cross-references and indexes make information easy to find
- Covers the many woodworking methods and tools available
- Modern, up-to-date coverage of tools and techniques
- Part of a three-volume encyclopedia of woodworking
The Complete Illustrated Guides Introducing a new series of books in the tradition of Tage Frid. All the techniques and processes you need to craft beautiful things from wood are compiled into three comprehensive volumes: The Complete Illustrated Guides. Highly visual and written by woodworking's finest craftsmen, these three titles -- Furniture and Cabinet Construction, Shaping Wood and Joinery establish a new standard for shop reference books.
- Additional Information
Additional Information
SKU FWW71071500 Table Of Contents Introduction
How to Use This Book
Part One Tools and Materials
SECTION 1 Tools
Layout Tools
Basic Shaping Tools
Tools for Edge Treatments and Moldings
Tools for Carving
Tools for Turning
Tools for Bending
SECTION 2 Materials
Dry Lumber
Stock for Sawn Curves
Stock for Bending
Stock for Panels
Part Two Cutting Shapes
SECTION 3 Straight-Edged Shapes
SECTION 4 Curved Shapes
Arcs, Circles, & Ellipses
Exterior Curves
Interior Curves
SECTION 5 Complex Shapes
Raised Panels
Door Frames
Coopered Panels
Compound Curves
SECTION 6 Template Shaping
Cutting with Templates
Flush Trimming
Shaping Inside Corners
Part Three Edge Treatments and Moldings
SECTION 7 Edge Treatments
Simple Shaped Edge
Shaping an Entire Edge
Lipped Door Edge
Shaping a Board's Face
Dished Tabletop
SECTION 8 Beads
Quirk Bead
Beaded Backboard
Cock Bead
SECTION 9 Simple Moldings
Machine-Cut Molding
Hand-Cut Molding
SECTION 10 Complex and Built-Up Moldings
Solid Complex Molding
Built-Up Molding
Dentil Molding
SECTION 11 Curved Moldings
Arched Molding
Gooseneck Molding
Part Four Other Decorative Shapes
SECTION 12 Coves
Machine-Cut Coves
Hand-Cut Coves
SECTION 13 Flutes and Reeds
Part Five Special Techniques
SECTION 14 Turning
Turning Basic Shapes
Furniture Legs and Feet
Decorative Details
Complex Turnings
SECTION 15 Carving
Lamb's Tongue
Flame Finial
Carved Feet
SECTION 16 Bending
Steam Bending
Bent Lamination
Kerf Bending
Appendix: Shaping Small Parts
List of Suppliers
Further Reading
Shape is a fundamental element of design. All furniture styles, even seemingly simple designs such as Shaker, use shape to enhance, increase function, and define style. For example, the sensuous curve of a chair back adds comfort as well as visual appeal, and the slender taper of a table leg creates lightness without sacrificing strength. Shape is critical to the ultimate success or failure of a piece of furniture. It simply can't be ignored.
Before shapes can be created, they must first be visualized and then drawn. There are tools and templates available for drawing geometric shapes; but organic, freeform curves are often best sketched freehand. Fortunately, the natural movements of the wrist and elbow make it possible for anyone to draw flowing curves with a bit of practice.
As I've illustrated in this book, the choices available for shaping are numerous. And it's not necessary to have access to a shop full of power tools, either. Many woodworkers are rediscovering hand tools along with the pleasure and satisfaction that comes with their use. Planes, saws, chisels, and other edge tools all require patience and a degree of skill; but they yield a handmade look and texture as well as a deep sense of accomplishment.
Learning to tune and effectively use power tools can be satisfying, too. And many power tool techniques, such as template shaping, yield efficiency that is unmatched with hand tools. Machines are also a good choice for many labor-intensive tasks, such as planing and sawing stock to size, providing more time for creating details by hand that machines simply can't duplicate. For example, a bandsaw is an efficient choice for sawing a curve in preparation for refining and sculpting the same curve with a spokeshave and a rasp. As a long-time woodworker who seeks pleasure from the craft, I've learned to enjoy both hand and power tools for what each has to offer.
As you explore the pages of this book, it's my hope that you'll be inspired by the creativity and challenge that comes with adding shapes to your next woodworking project.
ISBN 978-1-62710-766-2 Video No Author Lonnie Bird Publication Year 2014 Dimensions 9-1/4 X 10-7/8 Pages 304 Photo 800 Drawings 30 Other Formats 70533 Cover Paperback Format Paperback
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- Reviews
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Your typical Han Solo cosplayer will spend hours tailoring the essential pieces of Harrison Ford's iconic outfit--black utility vest and boots, a swaggerific collared shirt, tight navy pants with that standout red blood stripe, and low-rise gun belt. And when it comes to Han's DL-44 blaster pistol, eBay and Etsy list an arsenal of readymade blasters aimed at the cosplay market for around $50. These blasters, custom painted with faux-metal weathering and sometimes touting sound effects or even Airsoft functionality, capture the general gestalt of the DL-44. They have the familiar muzzle, grip, scope, and shape of the blaster--good enough for the casual costumer who just needs something serviceable for Halloween or a weekend convention. But far from good enough for the more discerning eye. In fact, read the fine print on those listings and you'll see that these replicas are just $8 toys made by Halloween costume company Rubies--repainted and sold at a 600% markup.
That detail would be inescapable to Carson Case and Pat Matera, who, for the past 18 months, have been unearthing and studying every detail and dimension of Han Solo's blaster from Star Wars: A New Hope. They've pored over every available photo and nugget of information pertaining to the original prop with forensic-level scrutiny. They've debated over the tiniest of details and contested long-accepted specs to a point where every new revelation is like a breakthrough in a decades-old cold case. It's kept them up at night and infiltrated their dreams. In other words, they've reached Adam Savage-levels of obsession. That's appropriate, because like Adam, both Case and Matera are replica prop builders and members of the Replica Prop Forum.
It's on The RPF that Case and Matera--who go by the handles Deadbolt and KPax, respectively--indulge their obsession. Their investigation began in June 2011 over the topic of the DL-44 baster's gun barrel. It had been a long-agreed upon fact among prop replicators that the barrel of the prop blaster--the part between the receiver and muzzle--was fully cylindrical. Case proposed that not only did the barrel have a small tapered chamfer on its underside, but that the entire bottom of the barrel was actually milled flat. Earth-shattering, right? That may seem like an inconsequential detail, but it's exactly the kind of minutia that excites replica prop makers and launches a 68-page forum thread spanning 18 months re-examining every known facet about Han Solo's blaster. Cold case reopened.
For the uninitiated, the Replica Prop Forum is the epicenter of the replica prop community--a place where prop makers of all skill levels converge to share their projects, discuss prop details, and even sell limited runs of their finished replicas. Community members make props from all forms of media--movies, tv shows, videogames, and comics. There are people building their own batmobiles, pulse rifles from Aliens, and just about every iteration of Iron Man armor that has graced the silver screen (by my count, currently 10). It's a subset of the maker movement completely unabashed with their love for popular culture, and as Adam puts it, who make things they can't not make.
It's no stretch that Han Solo's blaster resonates with this community. Han Solo is arguably the coolest character in Star Wars, and the space scoundrel-turned hero's character is irrevocably tied to his blaster pistol. Solo was modeled after the rogue gunslingers of the westerns that influenced George Lucas (among many other sci-fi creators), and the character's quick-draw attitude is embodied by a BlasTech DL-44 blaster that was uniquely designed to evoke both a familiar historical look and futuristic flourish. Says Carson Case:
"I think an impressionable character along with the right actor can make you love a prop all the more, and especially in this case where the prop itself was built up gorgeously to begin with. The mixing of familiar and not so familiar parts making up the prop, none of which were made to be attached to one another originally, managed to turn out one very artistic prop."
An awfully cool hero paired with an awfully cool gun. Plus the fact that in Star Wars lore--specifically the 1979 book trilogy The Han Solo Adventures--Solo is explained to have illegally modified his blaster for a faster draw definitely speaks to the maker mentality. It's not just any BlasTech DL-44 fans are replicating--it's Han Solo's, which carries along with it a mythical weight and illustrious history.
And in terms of its original construction, Han Solo's blaster from Episode IV is actually one of the more storied props of Star Wars.
Made for a Galaxy Far, Far Away
For Star Wars, George Lucas wanted to film sets and props that looked like they had existed for thousands of years.
For the production of Star Wars: A New Hope, George Lucas charged his set designer, John Barry, and set decorator, Roger Christian, with creating a fictional universe that looked "lived in". Contrary to the slick design of science-fiction productions like Flash Gordon, Lucas wanted to portray environments that looked like they had existed for thousands of years, with all the grime and patched-togetherness that would allude to an untold history and mythology. LucasFilm's ILM model shop--staffed with veterans of 2001: A Space Odyssey's production--carried out that vision in their creation of the kitbashed vehicles and miniatures that awed viewers from the very opening shot of Star Wars.
The same went for the 1:1 props that would decorate the sets and be held by the heroes and villains of the film. Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, for example, was famously made out of a Graflex camera flash handle, with nothing else but rubber strips of cabinet t-track glued onto the base of the handle for a grip. Original flash handles occasionally appear on eBay and are swooped up by Star Wars fans looking to make their own lightsaber prop replica. The Stormtrooper's E-11 blaster rifle was a modified British Sterling submachine gun. Luke's binoculars that he uses on Tatooine were made by a camera company called Rolleiflex. A quote from John Barry in J.W. Rinzler's comprehensive Making of Star Wars book elaborates:
"I took George to all the fun places," Barry adds. "We went to one of the big weapon-hire companies that had endless rows of arms and armor...George and the dresser, Roger Christian, and I got together a lot on those things. Rather than have you slick streamlined ray guns, we took actual World War II machine guns and cannibalized one into another. George likes what he calls the 'visceral' quality that real weapons have, so there are really quite large chunks of real weapons with additional things fixed on to them. It's just so much nicer than anything you can make from scratch; it stops them from having that homemade look."
The "fun place" Barry refers to is likely Bapty & Co., the British armorer hired to piece together the weapons in Star Wars. Brandon Alinger, the Chief Operations Officer of movie memorabilia company Prop Store of London (who also happens to be the founder of the Replica Prop Forum) told me that most of the handheld props built for Star Wars were a collaboration between Roger Christian and Bapty gunsmith Karl Schmidt. Unfortunately, the current staff at Bapty was unable to find anyone still working there who could speak to the props of Star Wars, due to the original team having retired or moved on to other jobs. John Barry unexpected passed away from meningitis during the filming of Episode V. But even without first-hand sources from the original production team, fans like Case and Matera have been able to literally piece together the construction of Han's DL-44 blaster through careful study.
The Mauser C96
The most important component in building Han Solo's blaster is the pistol used for its base, and it's well known that the body for the DL-44 was a German semi-automatic pistol, the Mauser C96. This is easily identifiable by the distinct box magazine in front of the trigger and curved grip in the shape of a household broom handle (the gun is affectionately nicknamed "Broomhandle" in the western world). The Mauser C96 was a very popular pistol in the early 20th century--Winston Churchill is reported to have favored it--and was a mainstay of serials and fantasy characters of that era like the Rocketeer.
But there wasn't just one Mauser C96 pistol. Over its 40 years of production of the C96, Mauser made many variants of pistol, each of its own unique identifiers. The "Red 9" version has the numeral 9 burned and painted in red on the grip to indicate that it utilized 9mm bullets instead of the standard 7mm. A variant nicknamed the "Bolo" made for Soviet Union had a distinctly shorter barrel and flatter curve at the base of its grip. Fans have not ascertained exactly which Mauser C96 model was used for Han Solo's blaster, but settle for a standard-looking model like one of the hundreds of thousands manufactured and used in China during World War II (as there are more of those floating around the gun collectors circuit).
Gun collectors aren't always happy seeing a vintage gun with real historical value milled and destroyed by geeks.
Even though there were hundreds of thousands of Mauser C96s produced in the past century, getting your hands on one to build a DL-44 replica is no easy task. For one, most Mausers that show up at gun shows are in well-worn condition, and even those start at hundreds of dollars and go into the thousands. And like the vintage camera collectors who have noticed a sharply depleting supply of Graflex flash handles, gun collectors too are wise to the DL-44 prop replicator's demand for Mausers. Except they're not always happy about seeing a vintage gun with real historical value milled and in-effect destroyed to satisfy some silly film nostalgic.
Most DL-44 enthusiasts have given up on the idea of using a real Mauser as the base for their DL-44 replica, though some collectors won't settle for anything less. Markus Odendall, a fan thought to have the largest personal collection of Star Wars blaster replicas, is in the latter camp, having spent an estimated 5,000 Euros just on his DL-44 replicas:
"I strive to improve my collection and would like to have the best available representation of a prop. This includes having as many of its original components as possible, of course. But there are major limitations such as availability, and therefore, prices for some of the needed parts. For all those who are financially unable or unwilling to spend that much money on real parts, accurate reproductions are the only option."
In terms of substitutes for a real Mauser, there are two go-tos for DL-44 replicas. The most accurate is a C96 reproduction made by a japanese company called MGC--Model Gun Corporation. MGC is the oldest known gun replica company, founded in 1963. What's unique about the MGC Mausers is that they were actually used by LucasFilm production as the basis for DL-44 blasters after Episode IV, so in essence they are original prop components. These full metal replicas didn't fire real bullets, but were full-fledged plug fire cap guns and had very few identifying marks or logos that called them out as fake guns. MGC Mausers were sold outside of Japan under the brand RMI--Replica Models Inc--but the company went bankrupt in 1994 and in no longer in operation. They're getting increasingly difficult to find, but pop up on eBay occasionally for around $300.
The most affordable Mauser replica available in production today comes from a Spanish company called Denix. Readily available on Amazon for around $60 (with Prime shipping!), these Mauser replicas are still made of metal and have working trigger action, but are much less accurate in the minute details than the MGC build. They're also only sold with plastic grips, which hobbyists replace with wooden ones found on gun parts resellers--a pair of walnut grips cost another $60. The other issue with the Denix replica is that it's actually slightly larger than a real Mauser or even MGC part. That means builders have to shave metal off the gun frame and sand the replacement grips in order to refit them.
All this work and that's just for the base pistol.
The rest of the DL-44's components each have similar histories, and some are even more obscure. There's the "flash hider" muzzle which comes from an MG81 aircraft-mounted machine gun, of which--according to Odendall--only one or two have ever come into the hands of Star Wars collectors. There's the scope, which was deduced to be a Hensoldt & Wetzlar Ziel Dialyth 3x scope from World War II. This part is a little easier to find, going for 30 Euro in Europe and up to $1500 in the US. There's the scope mount, which was custom made for this gun by Bapty. Then there are details like the "heat sinks" along the edge of the box magazine, antenna sights on top of the barrel, and silver circular "mystery disk" on one side of magazine. Analyzing and studying each of these details entails pages upon pages of forum posts, often with no clear consensus to show for it.
The Little Things
On page 38 of Case and Matera's investigation, the word of the day is "greeblies". According to ILM founding member Lorne Peterson's book on the Star Wars model shop, Sculpting a Galaxy, a greeblie is defined as "Miscellaneous mechanical details that add realism to a prop, model, or set." It's what model makers call the little widgets harvested from model kits to build their own original props--a practice known as kitbashing. With the DL-44 blaster, there is one particular greeblie that has vexed replica prop builders for years. Dubbed the "antennas", these are two thin rods with a conical tip that sit at the tip of the blaster on either side of a t-track. They look like the tips of radio antennas, but could also be old toggle switches or RC remote joysticks. Fans have contested not only the size and shape of these antennas, but also their placement.
Matera is confident that from his research, the two antenna pieces actually sit to the left and right of the t-track (the same rubber t-track used in the Graflex lightsaber), and not on top of it. He's posted Photoshopped overlays and scaled measurements to prove his case. This includes adjusting brightness levels on scanned photos from old Star Wars magazines, using computer models to match photos, and even mocking up makeshift clay and cardboard antennas to position on his work-in-progress blaster. This is some CSI stuff.
The debate may be moot, because there is no community consensus that the antennas are even supposed to be on the DL-44. Case and Matera are basing their analysis on publicity photos of Harrison Ford posing with his blaster--the ones you've likely seen in Star Wars calendars and cardboard standees. The problem is that most of these publicity photos were taken before filming began, and subsequent behind-the-scenes photos of Harrison Ford on set in Episode IV actually don't show the antennas at all. Some time during filming, they may have been removed or just fallen off. That brings up an important question when it comes to prop replicas--what's considered canon? Is it a publicity photo? How the prop was seen on screen? What the original prop makers intended and turned in to production?
Brace yourself, because it gets even more complicated.
There Was Never Just One
Case and Matera's project specifically concerns Han Solo's hero blaster from Star Wars: A New Hope. That distinction has to be specified because, like all big-budget productions, there was never just one version of the prop made for filming. The piece Bapty had constructed was the "hero" prop, a heavy piece to be used in close-ups and promotion shots. The production then made a casting of that model to create resin "stunt" props--lightweight and more disposable pieces that could be tossed around in action scenes. These castings would be used in creating variant resin props known as the Merr-Sonn Model 44 blasters, carried by Imperial officers in Death Star scenes. Photos of these Merr-Sonn blasters--which still had the greeblie antennas attached--are how Matera made many of his deductions when it came to the antenna placement.
For scenes that had to be shot in the United States, like Han's showdown with Greedo, the US production team had to scrap together its own version of the DL-44.
In the interest of cost, much of Star Wars was shot at Elstree Studio sound stages near London. When production moved to the United States, LucasFilm was unable to bring back some of the props created by Bapty because they working pieces that fired blanks. So for scenes that had to be shot in the US, like Han's showdown with Greedo, the production team had to scrap together its own version of the DL-44. That variant, made with an MGC replica as a base and sporting a M3 grease gun flash hider, is affectionately known as the "Greedo Killer", or GK.
For The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the production had to again recreate Han's blaster, but chose to heavily modify its appearance, as it would be used by both Han and Luke (like in scenes on Dagobah). This time around, the base was an MGC replica, using a casting of the flash hider made from the Episode IV hero but with no holes in the muzzle. The hider also had three knurled bands around the muzzle, and was pushed through the MGC Mauser barrel completely. In place of the heat sink grills are two V-8 model engine kit parts covering the magazine cartridge. A new scope is thought to be an M19 telescope made by MHR--Minneapolis Honeywell Regulator Co., and attached with a custom mounting bracket. Stunt castings of this prop were subsequently made, and one of those was for a time in the hands of Brandon Alinger and Prop Store of London. Says Alinger:
"For ESB, stunt DL-44 blasters were made from casting the hero prop from ANH. These resin stunt blasters have the same serial number as the hero prop as part of the casting. Resin stunt DL-44 style blasters were also made for the first film, and used by extras. It's possible that the ESB stunts are these same props, re-worked, or cast from the same molds."
The ESB and ROTJ blaster is a distinct piece all by itself, both in design and construction, but offers little information for A New Hope blaster replica builders.
So aside from publicity and behind-the-scenes photos, where do the reference materials lie for the original DL-44 blaster?
A History of Violence
Surprisingly, answers were found in places completely unrelated to Star Wars. Bapty, the armorer for A New Hope, was also the weapons supplier for a 1967 Frank Sinatra movie titled The Naked Runner. A Mauser C96 is prominently featured in the movie, and from studying VHS screengrabs, fans have been able to confirm that this is actually the same prop that was later turned into Han Solo's blaster. In the film, Sinatra plays a former World War II sharpshooter and wields a sniper rifle that breaks down to fit inside a padded suitcase. In scenes where Sinatra is examining this rifle and assembling it, it's clear that the rifle is a Mauser C96 with a modified "bull barrel" that's larger than the standard barrel on a Mauser. The gun seen in The Naked Runner also has the custom scope mount, though it's mounted on the left side of the gun instead of the right side, as it is on Han's blaster.
Bapty also supplied arms for the 1972 Oliver Reed movie Sitting Target, from which a production photograph shows a matching scope and mount, based on similar scratches, scuffs, and a matching notch on the lens ring. These two films, along with the rare production photo, are all fans have to work off of when analyzing the ANH blaster. Even the Star Wars Blu-ray release in late 2011 didn't provide additional help--1080p stills weren't clear enough to call out details like the antenna greeblies or "mystery disk".
And what of the original A New Hop hero DL-44 prop? No one actually knows where it is. After production finished in London, Bapty kept the original guns, some of which were fished out during collectors' expeditions to the armorer's warehouses in the past decade. For example, Prop Store of London was able to find and verify Sterling Stormtrooper blaster parts and refurbish them using replica dressing. Again, Brandon Alinger:
"BAPTY frequently used to sell guns that it no longer used to the government during government buybacks. They frequently disposed of modified weapons this way, since they were damaged in their eyes, and no longer suitable for work as a standard film weapon. It is very likely that this is what became of the original ANH Mauser prop."
Interestingly enough, the ANH blaster--or at least its base Mauser, was seen one last time in a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi. Dubbed the "bizarro blaster", it appeared in Han's hands during an attack on the Imperial bunker on Endor. It's bizarre because in these scenes, the scope on the blaster is clearly reversed, with the objective lens at the front of the gun instead of the rear. It's also attached with a different mount that places the scope on top of the pistol body instead of to its side.
That's not to say that all hope is lost when it comes to the original ANH hero prop. LucasFilm Licensing's Sr. Manager, Chris Spitale, told me that props sometimes appear where fans least expect:
"Sometimes, an original prop just turns up in unexpected places. For example, what is believed to be the original "hero" Darth Vader lightsaber was actually on display in a casino in Pennsylvania. There was only 1 "hero" Vader lightsaber made for Ep IV, V & VI."
With Star Wars, there's always hope.
The Rise of Replicas
In the 35-year history of Star Wars, it's difficult to believe that no one else has done enough research to answer all the questions about the DL-44 blaster. And to be fair, much formal research has been done, by both fans and official LucasFilm associates alike. Most of that scrutiny occurred under the purview of officially licensed collectibles. Fans of Star Wars may have heard names like Icons and Master Replicas. These were companies that made selling prop replicas their business, run by hobbyists who wanted to commercialize their skills and bring fans high-end products they couldn't find in toy stores.
Icons was the first of these companies, founded in 1995 by experienced Hollywood production insiders who obtained the first replica license granted by LucasFilm. Their first product, a 1:1 scale replica of Darth Vader's lightsaber, was perhaps the first commercially available Star Wars prop replica and met with feverish anticipation. The company sold tens of thousands of lightsaber replicas, in places like Star Wars Insider magazine, FAO Schwartz, and even QVC. But when the company went under in 2002, LucasFilm was reluctant to grant another replica license until Master Replicas came along in 2001. Steve Dymszo, a longtime prop replica maker and the co-founder of Master Replicas, recalls how they convinced LucasFilm to give them the license:
"After Icons had lost the license, Lucasfilm was very wary about filling the prop replicas category again. Many companies were submitting proposals, and I had to call them every 4 to 6 weeks, over about four years to see if they were setting up interviews. On one particular call, they finally said that they were reviewing formal proposals and would be arranging interviews.
...I had prepared quite a few prototypes in display cases and they later said that was one of the things that convinced them to go with us. They actually played with the replicas during the entire meeting!
Ultimately, they said that we were awarded the license, because they were impressed with our combined business experience and background, my knowledge of the subject, our ability to pony up lots of money for the licensing advance, and of course, the prototype replicas [I brought to the meeting]."
With a replica prop license, Dymszo and Master Replicas negotiated unprecedented access to the LucasFilm archives in 2001.
With that license, Dymszo and Master Replicas negotiated unprecedented access to the LucasFilm archives--warehouses full of props and models collected over the productions of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Says Dymszo:
"We also stipulated as part of the license contract, that we needed unrestricted access to the archive so that every replica could be as accurate as possible. This was a sticking point, as they almost-never let licensees into the archive. 99% of the time, they would get the reference and e-mail it. Most of the Lucasfilm staff had never even been to the archive themselves; entry was very restricted.
But they finally agreed, and I (and other MR reps) ultimately went to the archive about 30 to 40 times and spent hundreds of hours there obtaining reference, measuring, photographing, or digitally scanning the original filming props, costumes, and miniatures."
In 2002, Master Replicas issued the first Han Solo A New Hope blaster replica, which according to high-end collectibles site ToyTracker, was a limited edition of 1500 and had a retail price of $450. The blaster sold out quickly and Master Replicas was so proud of their product at the time that they also released a lithograph blueprint of their blaster design, framed and matted for collectors to display along with their replica.
Unfortunately, it became clear that this blaster was not as accurate as fans had hoped. For example, its dimensions were actually scaled to that of a Denix Mauser replica, not an original or even MGC replica. The Denix base was pretty obvious in that Master Replicas retained the stamped diamond Denix logo above the trigger on left side of the magazine. Says Dymszo of the effort: "Our first ANH replica released in 2002 was not nearly as accurate as I would have liked it to have been, but we were constrained by time/staff/budget and were forced to use the Denix mauser replicas at that time."
Master Replicas would get a chance to redeem itself in 2006, when it released a second ANH DL-44 blaster replica, the "Elite Edition". This version had a much more accurately milled body and working hammer and trigger action, along with wooden grips and a see-through scope. New details discovered by other fans were incorporated, such as the three-section "heat sink" fins on the gun magazine. Acknowledging uncertain details like the presence and location of the antenna greeblies, the Elite Edition actually offered a detachable set of t-tracks so collectors could configure it as they saw fit. The China-made prop was also unweathered (ie. had no painted damage or wear) because Master Replicas felt that convincing weathering could not be done in mass production, so it was sold "as issued" by the fictional company BlasTech.
There were only so many fans willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for multiple lightsaber and blaster replicas.
Setting the production run of the Elite Edition to 1250 pieces and pricing it at $650, Master Replicas was surprised to find that their new prop didn't sell out nearly as quickly as the original. In fact, retailers held on to products and had to lower the price to as low as $400 before the final units were sold. Today, an Elite Edition Master Replicas ANH blaster fetches well above retail on eBay (I own number 113 out of 1250). But that wasn't enough to save Master Replicas, who saw the high-end collectibles market growth slow down after it was acquired by toy company Corgi in late 2006. There were only so many fans willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for multiple lightsaber and blaster replicas.
The current crop of prop replica companies, like eFX and Quantum Mechanix, don't offer their own versions of the DL-44 blaster, but it's unlikely that any prop replica made in large quantities and commercially sold would satisfy the likes of Carson Case and Pat Matera. As nice as Master Replica's Elite Edition looks, it's a better prop to look at than to hold. In hand, it feels overtly like a singular object, not something that was pieced together from multiple parts. The fact that it's a mass-produced fabrication is apparent; you never get the sense that it is a pistol--real or replica--with pieces attached to it. And here's the rub: the Elite Edition is already considered inaccurate by today's prop replica standards.
Into Parts Unknown
Replica Prop Forum members have scoured old model airplane and plumbing parts catalogues to see if they can find matching grill piece.
One of the places that Matera thought warranted more scrutiny was the "heat sink" grills. These are grooved black circular pieces attached to the front of the Mauser C96's magazine chamber. In developing the Master Replicas Elite Edition prop, Steve Dymszo was informed by Jason Joiner--owner of one of the world's largest collections of Star Wars memorabilia--that these greeblies were plastic "plumbing adapter" parts, and that the grooves were rubber threads for the adapter. Not everyone agrees with that assessment, and another theory is that the heat sink is made from three large pieces from a model airplane cylinders. Replica Prop Forum members have scoured old model airplane and plumbing parts catalogues to see if they can match the part. But origins aside, Matera discovered some uniformity to the three pieces of the heat sink. Case explained the revelation to me:
"If Pat hadn't pointed out that the lower two pieces on the DL-44's Grill were slight tapered, which hadn't occurred to any of us, it would have been very difficult for anyone to realize that the very top piece is the same part as the lower two, but flipped, tipped and offset. Then the whole grill came together and made perfect sense, but it could have been easily left unnoticed without realizing that very slight taper first."
Again, progress inching forward.
From all the prop makers and collectors I spoke to and corresponded with, one name kept coming up as an authority on the DL-44. Chris Trevas, who goes by the name Lonepigeon on TheRPF, is an artist and longtime contributor to the Star Wars Insider fan magazine. In addition to creating Star Wars art for collectible card games, magazines, and books, Trevas also runs The Parts of Star Wars, a website that catalogs the props that have appeared in the films and their original construction.
Along with fellow artist Chris Reiff, Trevas drafted the art for the official Star Wars Blueprints book released in 2008. The poster book featured 1:1 diagrams and schematics of various weapons of Star Wars, including, yes, the DL-44 blaster. For their research, Trevas and Reiff were granted access to the same reference materials from the LucasFilm image archives that was given to licensed prop companies--high-resolution photographs that hobbyists could never find with a Google search.
As Case and Matera's epic forum thread expanded, Trevas acted as sort of a godfather to the research project, jumping in from time to time to post clarifications from his own research. Because he can't share the assets he's had access to from the LucasFilm archives, the forum researchers have to take him for his word, which has in more than one occasion lead to drawn-out disagreements over certain parts.
Taking Matters into Their Own Hands
One thing that Case, Matera, Trevas, and all the other DL-44 replica makers can agree on is that the will of a collected group is much more effective than the efforts of an individual alone. These makers all crave their own DL-44 replica, but there's no place they can buy parts that are accurate enough to satisfy their demands. Online shops like Blast-Tech make a business out of selling replica kits to hobbyists, but these kits aren't kept up to date with the new discoveries. Individually milling or molding your own parts is very expensive, and not everyone has access to a machine shop. That's why every so often, members of the RPF band together to produce limited quantity runs of parts, complete with the newest data. Trevas says a run of this quality hasn't been done in a long time:
"Most of the replica prop part businesses like Blast-Tech or Parks are not concerned with great accuracy. They supply the casual hobbyist with in-stock, good enough, parts...Really good Han ANH replica parts are rare.
It's been a long time since there was a run like this. Complex pieces like the scope cradle haven't been made in metal in many, many years. There's never been a machined replica scope run. The Master Replicas Elite Edition topped all fan made pieces when it came out in 2006. Since then, most people have been buying the Elites and modifying them--adding real scopes etc. It was cheaper to buy the Elite than to machine parts that good."
Case, whose day job is repairing PCs and laptops, spends his nights tweaking 3D CAD models of DL-44 blaster parts based on the new information and feedback from the forum thread. Matera, who is a sculptor and prototype developer by trade, help refine those models with insight on how those parts could be machined with steel and aluminum. Night by night, they work out details to pass along to a New York-based machinist they've contracted to produce the run. The smallest details, like the knurling pattern on the scope mount screw, are vetted and brought back to the community for consensus. Only two dozen or so sets of these parts will eventually be made, but they're going into the eager hands of the fans who can truly appreciate them.
The Question of Authenticity
When the run is finished--the machinist is shooting for the end of 2012--Carson Case and Pat Matera will finally have the parts to build their own DL-44 replicas acceptable to their high standards. But even then, they would be hesitant to call it perfect. As mentioned earlier, authenticity and canon are tricky territory when it comes to movie props. Says Steve Dymszo:
"There is no such thing as real '100% authenticity'. The reality of this varies with each person; their personality, experience, perception of reality, and visual acuity. I have always felt it was a little silly how some folks swear that they have the 'perfect' replica, but have never actually seen or held the original item. Photographs lie--shadows, fore-shortening, lens settings, etc, can dramatically change details and coloring on objects as we perceive them. As for colors, they change depending on the light in which they are viewed. Many gray colors for example, will absorb the color next to them and take on that shade as your eye sees it."
If you saw the props as they appeared on screen, you would think they were crap. Props in movies and TV were not built to do anything but satisfy the camera.
Andy Gore, CEO of Quantum Mechanix (another company that Steve Dymszo founded), agrees, which is why his company's Artisan replicas are given more detail than the original screen-used models:
"Anybody in this business will tell you: if you saw the props as they appeared on screen, you would think they were crap. Props in movies and TV were not built to do anything but satisfy the camera. In person, a stunt weapon will really look terrible since the prop master had two weeks to create 200 guns. So "screen accurate" isn't about being a duplicate of the prop you saw on screen. We want to make what you saw in your head, and that's a much higher standard."
The importance of weathering a replica--painting it so it looks old and used--can't be ignored, as it's also a heavily personal preference. Trevas likes his prop replicas weathered as he thinks the original prop maker intended, but stops short of making pieces crooked on purpose or including glue drips or other unintentional defects that occurred during film production. Case says personal preference has a mysterious effect on how a replica turns out: "The more interested you are in that particular prop and the more that's figured out about it, the more your taste will change and evolve for that prop over time. I know mine certainly has."
How to weather and finish a project is one of the toughest decisions in replica prop making, especially since it's the final step of a long and expensive journey. "Weathering can be a tough thing to do after spending hundreds of dollars on rare real-world pieces or custom machined brand new parts," says Trevas. It's also never as simple as putting paint on metal. To improve the Elite Edition DL-44 blasters that his defunct company once sold, Steve Dymszo had to strip the collectible down to its bare components and basically rebuild it from scratch:
"I stripped it completely down to the bare metal. This involved soaking in acetone, motorized wire brushes, sandpaper, X-acto blades, files, wounds, crying, and lots of suffering. I then machine-scotchbrited and machine-polished each part to a mirror finish and blued all of the parts to give them the proper patina. The bluing knocks some of the gloss down, so the parts dulled down to the proper level when I was done.
I added several real Mauser parts and used a number stamp system to add the missing serial numbers and lettering. Lucasfilm stipulated that we couldn't make any replicas with "real world" letters, numbers, or markings on it, so those details had to be removed from all replicas.
I replaced the plastic lenses in the scope with real glass, spun the scope on a lathe to thin/smooth out the paint and make it look like the original scopes, and added the Hensoldt lettering on the side. Finally, I sketched out all of the weathering on the gun and carefully added it. Including the marks in the wood grip. I used micro-mask on the scope frame, because nothing looks more like chipped paint than actually chipping the paint!"
All in all, Dymszo estimated the refurbishment took over 40 hours of work. Then he did it again to a second Elite Edition blaster.
The Saga Continues
In the prop replica world, there are always details that will be left unresolved or could be improved on when new reference resources surface. Carson Case and Pat Matera were not the first to be obsessed with Han Solo's A New Hope blaster, nor are they likely to be the last. They follow a long line of collectors and prop makers whose love for digging through details, collaborating on problem solving, and building something by hand outweighs the eventual ownership of a replica prop.
But at least in this project, one more detail will be resolved, and that takes us back to the original question of the cylindrical bull barrel of the DL-44, posited all those months ago. The answer to this particular investigation was found on, of all places, a grassy knoll. Matera was able to obtain a rare DVD copy of The Naked Runner for reference. And in a scene where Frank Sinatra lays down his modified Mauser C96 on the grass, there it was, clear as 480p could ever be: a flat-bottom bull barrel. Cue the Ewok Celebration chant.
And just this week, Case emails me about exciting new findings that he and Matera may soon reveal to the community. Replica prop building is truly a never-ending saga, and that's part of its addiction. Obsessions over long-lost movie weapons; debates with zealous resolve; cathartic moments of clarity. Sounds an awful lot like a hokey religion to me, which in this case, is well matched for the beloved blaster at Han Solo's side.


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Marijuana is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. The mixture can be green, brown, or gray.
A bunch of leaves seem harmless, right? But think again. Marijuana has a chemical in it called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. A lot of other chemicals are found in marijuana, too—about 400 of them, many of which could affect your health. But THC is the main psychoactive (i.e., mind altering) ingredient. In fact, marijuana's strength or potency is related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s. Estimates from confiscated marijuana indicated that it contains almost 10 percent THC, on average.
There are many slang terms for marijuana that vary from city to city and from neighborhood to neighborhood. Some common names are: "pot," "grass," "herb," "weed," "Mary Jane," "reefer," "skunk," "boom," "gangster," "kif," "chronic," and "ganja."
Marijuana is used in many ways. The most common method is smoking loose marijuana rolled into a cigarette called a "joint" or "nail." Sometimes marijuana is smoked through a water pipe called a "bong." Others smoke "blunts"—cigars hollowed out and filled with the drug. And some users brew it as tea or mix it with food.
Some people mistakenly believe that "everybody's doing it" and use that as an excuse to start using marijuana themselves. Well, they need to check the facts, because that's just not true. According to NIDA's 2012 Monitoring the Future study, about 6.5 percent of 8th graders, 17.0 percent of 10th graders, and 22.9 percent of 12th graders had used marijuana in the month before the survey. In fact, marijuana use declined from the late 1990s through about 2007. Unfortunately, this trend appears to be reversing. Since 2007, annual, monthly, and daily marijuana use increased among 10th and 12th graders while daily use increased among 8th graders. In 2012, 6.5 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana daily, compared to 5.1 percent in 2007.
For some people, smoking marijuana makes them feel good. Within minutes of inhaling, a user begins to feel "high," or filled with pleasant sensations. THC triggers brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. Dopamine creates good feelings—for a short time. But that's just one effect…
Imagine this: You're in a ball game, playing out in left field. An easy fly ball comes your way, and you're psyched. When that ball lands in your glove your team will win, and you'll be a hero. But, you're a little off. The ball grazes your glove and hits the dirt. So much for your dreams of glory.
Such loss of coordination can be caused by smoking marijuana. And that's just one of its many negative effects. Marijuana affects memory, judgment, and perception. Under the influence of marijuana, you could fail to remember things you just learned, watch your grade point average drop, or crash a car.
Also, since marijuana can affect judgment and decision making, using it can cause you to do things you might not do when you are thinking straight—such as engaging in risky sexual behavior, which can result in exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or getting in a car with someone who's been drinking or is high on marijuana.
It's also difficult to know how marijuana will affect a specific person at any given time, because its effects vary based on individual factors: a person's genetics, whether they've used marijuana or any other drugs before, and how much marijuana is taken. Effects can also be unpredictable when marijuana is used in combination with other drugs.
THC Affects Brain Functioning
THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds of receptors called cannabinoid receptors and binds to them.
Certain parts of the brain have high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors. These areas are the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. The functions that these brain areas control are the ones most affected by marijuana.
For example, THC interferes with learning and memory—that is because the hippocampus—a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job—plays a critical role in certain types of learning. Disrupting its normal functioning can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent events. The difficulty can be a lot more serious than forgetting if you took out the trash this morning, which happens to everyone once in a while. A recent study followed people from age 13 to 38 and found that those who used marijuana a lot in their teens and continued into adulthood had a significant drop in IQ, even if they quit.
Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous
The cerebellum is the section of our brain that controls balance and coordination. When THC affects the cerebellum's function, it makes scoring a goal in soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough. THC also affects the basal ganglia, another part of the brain that's involved in movement control.
These THC effects can cause disaster on the road. Research shows that drivers on marijuana have slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds. A recent analysis of data from several studies found that marijuana use more than doubles a driver's risk of being in an accident. In fact, studies conducted in a number of localities have found that approximately 4 to 14 percent of drivers who sustained injury or death in traffic accidents tested positive for THC.
Marijuana Use Increases Heart Rate
Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an individual's heart begins beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.
The Brain
When people smoke marijuana for years, they can suffer some pretty negative consequences. For example, because marijuana affects brain function, your ability to do complex tasks could be compromised, as well as your pursuit of academic, athletic, or other life goals that require you to be 100-percent focused and alert. In fact, people who use marijuana over the long term report less life satisfaction, poorer education, and job achievement, and more interpersonal problems compared to people who do not use marijuana.
Marijuana also may affect your mental health. Studies show that early marijuana use may increase your risk of developing psychosis if you have a genetic vulnerability to the disease. Psychosis is a severe mental disorder in which there is a loss of contact with reality, including false ideas about what is happening (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations). Marijuana also has been associated with depression and anxiety, but more research is necessary to confirm and better understand that relationship.
Many people don't think of marijuana as addictive—they are wrong. About 9 percent of people who use marijuana become dependent on it. The number increases to about one in six among those who start using it at a young age, and to 25 to 50 percent among daily users. Marijuana increases dopamine, which creates the good feelings or "high" associated with its use. A user may feel the urge to smoke marijuana again, and again, and again to re-create that experience. Repeated use could lead to addiction—a disease where people continue to do something, even when they are aware of the severe negative consequences at the personal, social, academic, and professional levels.
People who use marijuana may also experience a withdrawal syndrome when they stop using the drug. It is similar to what happens to tobacco smokers when they quit—people report being irritable, having sleep problems, and weight loss—effects which can last for several days to a few weeks after drug use is stopped. Relapse is common during this period, as users also crave the drug to relieve these symptoms.
Lungs and Airways
People who abuse marijuana are at risk of injuring their lungs through exposure to respiratory irritants found in marijuana smoke. The smoke from marijuana contains some of the same chemicals found in tobacco smoke; plus, marijuana users tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer, so more smoke enters the lungs. Not surprisingly, people who smoke marijuana have some of the same breathing problems as those who smoke tobacco—they are more susceptible to chest colds, coughs, and bronchitis than people who do not smoke.
While most people who smoke marijuana do not go on to use other drugs, long-term studies of high school students show that few young people use other illegal drugs without first trying marijuana. For example, the risk of using cocaine is much greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Using marijuana puts children and teens in contact with people who use and sell other drugs. So, a person who uses marijuana is more likely to be exposed to and urged to try other drugs. The effects of marijuana on the brain of adolescents—still a work in progress—may also affect their likelihood of using other drugs as they get older. Animal studies suggest this to be true, but it is not yet demonstrated in people.
Under U.S. law since 1970, marijuana has been a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that the drug has no approved medical use. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use even though it hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be a medicine. There are a few reasons why it hasn't been approved. There haven't been enough studies to show that its benefits outweigh its harms—that is, that it doesn't cause more problems than it treats. Also, because it is a plant, there is no way to know how much or exactly what chemicals a person is getting each time they use it (unlike with a pill or shot).
That said, there are medications containing synthetic (man-made)THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, that are used to treat nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and to stimulate appetite in patients with wasting syndrome—severe, involuntary weight loss—due to AIDS.
Since the discovery of the cannabinoid system—receptors in the body that bind THC, and chemicals that act as these receptors—scientists are actively looking for ways to use this system for medical purposes. Several promising compounds are being tested for the treatment of obesity, pain, and other disorders. However, it is unlikely that smoked marijuana will be developed as a medication because of its negative health effects.
Researchers are testing different ways to help people who use marijuana abstain from drug use. Currently, no medications exist for treating marijuana addiction. Treatment programs focus on behavioral therapies. A number of programs are designed specifically to help teenagers who abuse marijuana.
When someone has a drug problem, it's not always easy to know what to do. If someone you know is using marijuana, encourage him or her to talk to a parent, school guidance counselor, or other trusted adult. There are also anonymous resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) and the Treatment Referral Helpline (1-800-662-HELP).
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) is a crisis hotline that can help with a lot of issues, not just suicide. For example, anyone who feels sad, hopeless, or suicidal; family and friends who are concerned about a loved one; or anyone interested in mental health treatment referrals can call this Lifeline. Callers are connected with a professional nearby who will talk with them about what they're feeling or concerns for other family and friends.
In addition, the Treatment Referral Helpline (1-800-662-HELP)—offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration—refers callers to treatment facilities, support groups, and other local organizations that can provide help for their specific need. You can also locate treatment centers in your state by going to www.samhsa.gov/treatment.


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Mercure Hull Grange Park is a hotel establishment located in Willerby. This modern hotel is set in 12 acres of grounds with landscaped garden. It is only 5 miles from the busy commercial centre of Hull and 4 miles from the historic market town of Beverley.
There are 100 bedrooms all with an en suite bathroom, remote control colour TV, radio, hairdryer, trouser press, unrestricted direct-dial telephone with modem and tea/coffee making facilities. You will also find 24-hr room service, Feel Good Health Club, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi.
Dining out at the hotel?
The Arts Bar & Grill is a contemporary eating and drinking experience offering a casual, friendly environment, with a wide choice of dishes magnificently presented in generous portions.
Check out our great offers this season at
Recently refurbished the hotel now has a vibrant, modern feel to suit all travellers. Easy access to the city centre and local villages. The hotel is a great location for weekend breaks and is very child friendly. Children welcome from any age.
Grange Park Lane,
Grange Park Lane,
By Road:
The hotel is accessible from the M62-A63. Take the A164 turn off to Beverley, continue on and at the second roundabout turn right towards Willerby. At the next roundabout turn left onto Grange Park Lane (McDonalds on the left). The hotel is situated at the end of Grange Park Lane.
- Children welcome
- Telephone
- Radio
- Television
- Satellite TV
- Tea/coffee making in bedrooms
- Licenced (table or bar)
- Special diets available
- Lounge for residents' use
- Laundry/valet service
- Night porter
- Passenger lift
- Ironing facilities
- Conference facilities
- Christmas special programme
- Travel agent bookings
- Snacks/afternoon tea
- Private parking
- Garden
- Totally non-smoking
- Disabled facilities
- Central heating
- Laundry facilities
- Electric shaver points
- Telephone (public)
- Television available
- Swimming pool - indoor onsite
- Golf available (onsite or nearby)
- Restaurant open to non-residents
- Visa/Mastercard/Switch accepted
- Vegetarian diet available
- American Express accepted
- WiFi or internet access
- Leisure club (onsite or nearby)
- DVD player
- Coach parties welcomed
- Evening meals
- Hairdryer
- High chairs available
- Cots available
- Gym on site
Recently refurbished the hotel now has a vibrant, modern feel to suit all travellers. Easy access to the city centre and local villages. The hotel is a great location for weekend breaks and is very child friendly. Children welcome from any age.


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The future of the player has been called into question after quotes from his agent claimed that he was not happy at City and would look to leave in the summer.
Links with Paris Saint Germain soon followed but Toure, whilst on international duty with Ivory Coast, has denied those claims.
"No, I don't think of PSG," Toure told local newspaper Sport-Ivoire.
"You know that with the approach of the transfer window, there are many things that are said in the newspapers.
"We are professional and so far I have not given any agreement with any club. I am for the moment a City player and I will fight so that we finish the season in good conditions.
"In a club there are players and administrators. We are like soldiers and we carry out what employers say.
"The most important thing for me is to continue to have fun and to entertain the public."
Toure's current deal with Manchester City runs until 2015.


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Ravens hold contest for fans to win playoff tickets
Photos with 1 of 2 golden logos around town needed to enter
The Baltimore Ravens will kick off their postseason run this weekend, and starting Wednesday, fans will have a chance to win tickets to the game.
The Ravens' grounds crew painted a huge team logo in front of City Hall and on Federal Hill on Tuesday to get the city in the playoff spirit.
The crew also secretly painted 298 smaller logos throughout Baltimore, including two gold logos, one of which is in the city and the other in Baltimore County.
Anyone who finds one of the two gold logos and takes a picture of themselves with it can upload it on the Ravens website, Instagram or Twitter for a chance to win tickets to Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium.
Fans can also help pump the team up by writing a note or drawing a picture and taking it to any of 50 participating Giant food stores, where letters to the Ravens will be picked up and put up at the team's training facility in Owings Mills.
"We're asking fans to send any type of encouraging words to our players and coach staff. We're urging fans to get creative and send their best wishes to the Ravens," said Ravens spokeswoman Katie Bollinger.
There's also Purple Friday, which will start out with Bacon and Beer with the 98 Rock morning show and a pep rally. The Purple Caravan will be going to more than a dozen locations on Friday.


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Results 1 - 11 of 11
Continuing Education
Alyssa Schnell Conference
Breastfeeding as a non-Birthing Parent 3-lesson conference
Price: $99.00
Comprehensive Review of Infant Suck
Reviews tongue movement, infant sucking skills
Price: $59.00
Individualized Approach for Inducing Lactation
Inducing Lactation for the non-birthing parent
Price: $36.00
Infant Oral Anatomy v2
Anatomy and physiology of the the infant mouth.
Price: $25.00
Breastfeeding Without Birthing
Breastfeeding and the Non-Birthing Parent
Price: $25.00
Jaundice and Breastfeeding v2
Treatments for jaundice in the breastfeeding newborn.
Price: $25.00
Engorgement and Mastitis v2
Causes and treatment.
Price: $25.00
Anatomy and Physiology of Lactation v2
Physiology of milk production, hormones and ...
Price: $25.00
Breastfeeding the Older Nursling and Weaning
Timing and methods of weaning.
Price: $25.00
Essentials of Positioning
Overcoming sucking problems, poor latch and breast ...
Price: $20.00
Medications and Breastfeeding
Over-the-counter medications, anesthetics, analgesics ...
Price: $20.00


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This is the ProTek R/C 2S 3300mAh, 20C Lithium Polymer battery pack. This pack has T-Style Ultra connectors pre-installed, and comes with a 3-pin Align/E-Flite style balance connector. This battery is a great receiver battery for helicopters and airplanes!
Unlike most other Lithium Polymer batteries, these batteries can be charged at up to 2 times the rated current, or 2C! If your charger is capable, you can charge these batteries at 6.6A!
- Type: Lithium Polymer
- Capacity: 3300 mAh
- Voltage: 7.4V nominal
- Connector Type: T-Style Ultra (14 GA Wire)
- Balancer Type: Align/E-Flite compatible (XH)
- Number of Cells: 2
- Weight: 181g
- Configuration: 2S1P
- Dimensions (WxLxH): 45 x 140 x 15mm
- Maximum Charge Rate: 2C (6.6A)!
- Maximum Continuous Discharge: 20C (66A)
- Maximum Burst Discharge: 40C (132A) for 3 seconds
1) DO NOT leave the battery in your model when charging
2) DO NOT leave unattended when charging
3) ALWAYS balance charge the battery
4) ALWAYS use a LiPo charging bag
5) YOU MUST use a Li-Poly specific charger to charge the pack (NiMH or NiCD only chargers WILL NOT WORK!)
6) YOU MUST not over discharge the Li-Poly battery pack
7) READ & UNDERSTAND the instructions carefully before operating this battery
NOTE: When using high energy Li-Polymer Batteries, please do not over-discharge or over-charge batteries as this will result in over heated batteries. Discharging capacity can't exceed 80% of the max capacity of the pack after full charging to ensure a good cycle performance. It is recommended to fully charge a brand new battery before using and only discharge the battery 50% for first 5 cycles. Always monitor race time and/or set a low voltage warning on ESC (End voltage cannot be lower than 3.2v per cell) Do not use the battery that has too low a voltage.
Do not expose batteries to sunshine or store/charge batteries at the temperature above 35°C or in a closed car. The high temperature environment could cause damage to the pack or make it burst. If the battery becomes hot while fast charging, high current discharging or racing, do not charge the battery until it has cooled completely. Wait about 20 mins, then inspect prior to recharging.
This product was added to our catalog on July 29, 2010


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The World Is Crazy: 17-Year-Old Killed Because He Threw Eggs At A Man's Mercedes On Halloween In Atlanta!
Over some damn eggs?
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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JYJ′s Kim Jae Joong won another Rookie Award, following his win last year.
The singer-turned-actor won his award at the 2012 MBC Drama Awards, held on December 30, for his feats in the drama Dr. Jin.
Despite its being his first period piece, Kim Jae Joong made a perfect transformation to Kim Kyung Tak, delivering his lines with manly talent.
The award follows a Rookie Award he won last year with SBS. He made his first drama debut in Korea in 2011 with the SBS drama Protect the Boss, and managed to win the New Star Award at the SBS 2011 Drama Awards. The award means more to him as his team never performed on TV except through dramas.
Kim Jae Joong said, "I′ve won the Rookie Award. I′m shaking. My parents are here, and I don′t know why they decided to come today. I′ve won an award. I′m so happy that I′ve received the award they say you can only receive once in your life. At first I acted because I thought I had to, but through Dr. Jin, I came to feel that I want to act."
He then added, "I want to thank [Park] Yoo Chun in front of me, for his support. I also want to thank [Kim] Junsu, who isn′t here right now."
He later tweeted for his fans, "My second Rookie Award. I′ll take this to mean that I should work harder in the future. I want to thank director Han Hee, director Oh Jong Hyun, C-JeS′ [Baek] Chang Joo hyung (big brother) and my members Yoo Chun and Junsu. Last but not least, the fans who lead JYJ! I′ll repay your thankful love for the rest of my life."
Photo credit: MBC
Credit: enewsworld
Credits: TeamJaejoong
Shared By: JYJ3
Tagged: 2012 MBC Drama Awards, Jaejoong


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Altus-Escon-Company B.V. (Altesco), located in Nieuw Vennep, Netherlands, is an independent Dutch manufacturer of diagnostic automotive testing equipment. Altesco is strategically located between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the port of Rotterdam.
Altesco was founded as Analogic Engineering in 1989. Its president already has been responsible for introducing the plate brake tester in Europe in the early eighties. This experience of 10 years in the automotive equipment industry resulted in a company which specialised in the early nineties in suspension testing equipment. Later Altesco expanded its business into more complex test lanes for passenger cars and heavy vehicles as well as equipment for stand alone testing purposes for passenger cars, motor-cycles, caravans and trailers.
In 1996, Analogic Engineering acquired Escon International, which had specialised in play detectors. From then on the company was called Altus-Escon-Company B.V. (Altesco).
In July 2000, Altesco acquired Comar. Comar was established in 1985 in The Netherlands as a plate brake tester specialist. Over the years Comar expanded the product line and became a well-known manufacturer of garage equipment.
In its relatively short period of existence, Altesco established a global distributor network. All our dedicated distributors have highly trained technicians and sales staffs, offering the individual customer the best possible support. Naturally, with the assistance and back up of the Altesco sales- and service department.
Although we see distributors in the global market place as our most important target group, we do not neglect the message from the end-users (garages). We will do our utmost to pass on these requests to a distributor in our world-wide network.
Altesco is very concerned with quality and is officially certified ISO9001:2015 and ISO14001:2015. If you are interested in the quality and environmental policy, you can request this by sending a request to firstname.lastname@example.com. Although Altesco subcontracts most of its manufacturing, the Altesco staff always performs the final inspection and testing of all equipment.
Due to this mentioned subcontracting, we created unlimited expansion possibilities to meet any growing production needs in various markets. Most of our equipment is held in stock for prompt delivery. If not in stock, delivery times are always kept to a minimum.
All products are designed according to the latest technology and developed by Altesco. All software for operating the equipment is developed and programmed in-house. This makes us flexible in changing our products to the required demands; we do not depend on external software- and design companies. Equally important is the service and support to our distributors as well as our ability to fulfil the customer's need for special products. With Altesco equipment, you can create a strong relationship with your customers and boost your profits.
In order to be able to compete in the dynamic world of automotive equipment, the Altesco organisation has identified several divisions, which all have a direct link in the day to day activities. Therefore, no time is lost in fulfilling the rapidly changing demand in the market.
Altesco general terms and conditions of sale.


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By JEFF PICKELL
As a 20-something living by my lonesome in a small city, there's not much to keep me entertained on weekends around here, so I usually hit the road shortly after the office closes up Friday evening or Saturday at noon.
The problem is that all of my friends and family live about two hours away, and since I started my work here, it has become increasingly difficult to keep myself entertained during these car rides. Compounding my dilemma, especially at this time of the year, is how early it gets dark and how active the area wild life is.
Plumb in the middle of their mating season, deer of both sexes are going bananas. Squirrels and rabbits are scrambling to pile up rations for the cold. Opossums and raccoons are acting bizarre and absurd as they normally do. Bears, Michigan's fiercest—and most cumbersome—predators, are gorging themselves before belching tastily and settling to sleep until next year.
In this part of the state, chances are pretty remote that a black bear will lumber into the path of my dinky Saturn, but judging by the harrowing amount of roadkill splattered along Ridge Highway, it's not terribly unlikely that I, and my Saturn, encounter the more common area fauna during one of my trips to or from Morenci.
Drivers of colossal Mack trucks and F-150s with stiff steel deer deflectors (brush guards? Please.) speed over the landscape with much more vigor than I do, understandably. Any wildlife that impedes them would be inescapably and instantaneously transformed into chopped liver, then forgotten. However, they don't seem to understand that my car's fiberglass constitution and its lowness to the ground make things much more likely to crumble or blow out if a similar mishap befalls me.
Or maybe they do understand this, and ride up on me with their blinding headlights simply because they are unsympathetic. Whichever's the case, my reaction is the same—I cling to the steering wheel with white knuckles, grind my teeth and curse until the numbskull tailgating me realizes that I'm going 40 because I want him to pass. And yes, it is always a him.
Then I drop back into boredom. Maybe six months ago, the local NPR station decided to do away with "The Next Big Thing," a mostly entertaining variety show, in favor of "Living on Earth," a show about environmental issues. At least, that's the change they made to the 7 p.m Sunday slot.
Normally, I'm all for informative, environmentally conscious public radio. Unfortunately, "Living on Earth" is ridiculously boring. Ridiculously. So I've been tuning into a metro Detroit sports talk show that conveniently curdles to static right about the time I hit Milan.
It's probably for the best—I should be devoting all of my attention to weaving away from extant dead animals and avoiding making new ones. Of course, I never do. I'm always concerned about the Monday workload surprises in store, or having the news stories I already produced returned with a long list of questions I hadn't thought of or even thought of thinking of. Or anything else startling and horrifying that could happen in the next 40 hours or however long it takes to get the newspaper out.
The result is that I re-arrive in Morenci thoroughly stressed out, grumpy, frustrated, irritated, trembling, constipated and exhausted—so much so that the task of carrying my overburdened laundry basket up the stairs to my apartment is often just much, much too much.
Yesterday, feeling particularly not up to the drive back to Morenci, I took a gamble and bought a book on CD—"The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson. It was a good choice. I never realized how much radio shows, even NPR programs, pause to hawk things for their sponsors. And I never realized how cranky it makes me when people try to sell me things.
Listening to Bryson's amusing tales of life growing up in 1950s Des Moines in his un-homogenized midwestern accent—humble, unassuming, genuine—it was enough to keep me from going completely bonkers, even though last night's trip through the starless, moonless, ink-black night was fantastically terrifying and riddled with dunderhead motorists—among them, myself.
Still, I managed to carry my basket upstairs and even change into my PJs before going to bed, so maybe I'll check out another book on CD from the library before I leave next week.- Nov. 15, 2006


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Grace Tights (Out of stock)
€ 130,00
With a real wow factor: The opaque/sheer rings of these tights have an element of surprise thanks to their trendy feature along the entire back of the leg – real lacing with a narrow elastic cord. Elastane knitted into each ring ensure the perfect fit.
- Matte look
A trendy highlight item
Order Today: Estimated Delivery Date 01/10/2020
- main material 53% nylon, 35% polyester, 12% elastane


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Legal action against two alleged online software pirates was announced by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) in cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of the U.S. Postal Inspector, and other government agencies. The cooperative efforts are aimed at closing down the illegal sites involved in selling counterfeit software to unsuspecting consumers.
In one of the largest counterfeiting schemes of this type nationwide, a 19-count federal indictment was unsealed on January 30, 2009, charging Christopher Loring Walters, 28, of Newport Beach, Calif., and Matthew Thomas Purse, 32, of Gilbert, Ariz., with Conspiracy, Mail and Wire Fraud, Criminal Copyright Infringement, and Trafficking in Counterfeit Labels, Packaging or Containers.
The indictment alleges that from September 2004 through February 2006, Walters and Purse created various web sites from which they are believed to have sold and distributed discounted counterfeit software, as well as set up merchant accounts on eBay.
The pair, doing business under numerous web sites, including SoftwareDiner.com, fraudulently advertised that they were authorized distributors of a multitude of brand name software products from legitimate companies. Firms whose software was counterfeited in these scams, and which collectively lost millions of dollars based on the estimated retail prices of the software that was counterfeited, include: Acronis, Apple, Corel, FWB, Intego, Intuit, Macromedia (acquired by Adobe in 1995), McAfee, Pinnacle, Sage, Sonic Solutions' Roxio Division, Symantec, Webroot, and numerous other well-known entities.
The indictment against Walters and Purse further alleges that they established bank accounts and credit card processing accounts with various financial institutions in order to process victim credit card purchases. They also purchased or obtained legitimate versions of copyright software from which to create their stock of counterfeit software. They then acquired software duplicating equipment to mass produce and label counterfeit copies cloned from legitimate brand name products. The packaging, branding, and marking of the counterfeit software by the pair was done in a manner similar to how it was marketed and labeled by legitimate firms.
According to Keith Kupferschmid, Senior Vice President for Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement for the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), "In order to track, identify, and stop these illegal activities, and to help bring the accused parties to justice, SIIA continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies. Our goal is to do whatever is needed and appropriate to shut down these sites and to cease the sale of counterfeit software via the internet."
Conviction for Mail and Wire Fraud carries a maximum of 20 year sentences, while the other charges -- including the criminal copyright infringement charges -- carry maximum five year sentences per count. All the counts carry the possibility of a $250,000 fine as well as prison time.
In addition to this recent high profile case, last year, SIIA teamed up with the Department of Justice to pursue Jeremiah Mondello, an eBay seller who used stolen bank account information to create more than 40 fictitious eBay and PayPal identities to sell pirated software via the auction site. Mondello is currently serving a jail term of 48 months as a result of his conviction.


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A few months back when I was studying A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and The Universe Has Your Back (TUHYB), I was religious and sincere to understand the key concepts and apply them in every opportunity I could find in my daily life – be it to regularize my exercise schedule, planning the perfect holiday, forgiving, letting go, taking risks, looking around with kindness and having a never-ending quest for miracles. I had convinced myself that there is no order of difficulties in miracles and that miracles were natural. All this and more, was because I chose love over fear. I chose to learn through the teacher of love rather than fear.
Have you ever experienced the feeling where you keep your favorite book in a dusty corner, forget all about it and then one fine day just stumble across and realize how much you've missed it and how incomplete your days have been without having it in your vicinity…? Well, I have had a similar metaphorical experience. Somewhere over the past few months, I lost connection with my inner self, my spiritual practice, listening to things that resonated much with my personal philosophy and conscious practice for self-awareness. My soul felt like the book being covered by a layer of dust, not properly tended to. As a result, I had fallen prey to fear. My heart felt open, vulnerable and susceptible to even the slightest noise around. It was as if I had lost the balance I had worked so hard to gain in the very first place. Like a house of cards, one gust of wind and one card being lightly ruffled, I came tumbling down – with fear, worry, doubt, and negativity. I couldn't really come to terms with how I responded under some situations and I must admit I wasn't particularly proud of the person I saw in the mirror…
Well, you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missing home
Hence, I decided to change… To go back to the old routine… The old way. To reconnect my soul with the infinite abundance and wisdom. To unlearn, learn and relearn. To chip off the fear and carve beautiful patterns of love and faith. I wanted to act from a place of love and abundance. To move away and heal from the fear-based stories, perceptions, and choices I was making. To see things differently. I was willing to surrender. To ask for help. From God. To pray. To be humble enough to admit that I do not know and I can not know and that I seek to be led and guided.
I think it truly is about the journey and the process rather than the end goal or the destination. I am grateful that I lost my way in between. It has shown to me the things that matter. The people who stood by me when I wasn't the best version of myself. The loved ones who sent their love to me although they were far away from me. More importantly, it has got me back to the teacher of love. To embrace myself and erase the shadows of fear and doubts.
I trust that the universe has my back and that I am loved and being guided.